I’m very thankful to have had as good an education as I did in high school. I feel like I probably got more out of it than many. Even though it ended 10 years ago, it prepared me exceptionally well for what I’m tackling now. Much of that credit goes to Don Rogers who, I thank my lucky stars now, came to class prepared and eager to teach, instilling good problem solving skills as he went.

I point this out now because I’m currently in a physics class with a professor who, while he appears to have notes, manages to stumble through class barely connecting thoughts while attempting to teach. All this for roughly $3.50⁽¹⁾ per person per minute. By the time class is over each day, it has collectively cost the 35 of us over $6,000. I do this math because I’m bored.

In addition to a mind-numbingly silly physics class, there is an equally silly physics lab. It makes what we did in high school look like rocket science. I’m disappointed, really.

I did end up dropping differential equations, which I had considered because of the homework I anticipated in my other classes. Upon attempting to go from work to class to at least check it out, Alice decided it was not to be and  refused to start. I took this as a sign and dropped the class.

Statics, however, is a very good class. At this point, it isn’t anything new. I did mess with an online statics class earlier in the summer and have been analyzing static structures at work, so I’ve seen most of the material already. I’m not complaining, though. The professor does come to class prepared and ready to go. I like that.

Circuits is also a good class. Again, nothing new just yet, but I’m cool with that. It puts me in a position where I can reinforce what I know and help others.

Remember: I’m pullin’ for ya – we’re all in this together.

(1) – Assuming $3000 in tuition spread over 14 hours of in-class time. Individual results may vary.

First, I feel like a fossil. I don’t consider myself to be an old guy, but the majority of other students running around seem to me, at this point, to be aged about twelve. Indeed, I am nearly a decade older than the youngest of them. I remember the first Bush. Heck, I have vague memories of Reagan. They’re all so young and full of life. That’ll pass.

Second, I passed Ed Mondolfi on my way to a class Monday. At the time, I had a little chuckle about it since the two of us graduated high school together. Turns out that he is in my Friday chem lab. We’re totally lab partners. This may or may not turn out to be a good thing.

Third, on Tuesday while waiting to get into my calculus class, Luke Damron passed in the hallway. He didn’t see me so I tapped him on the shoulder and we caught up a little bit. He and I somehow came to very similar realizations. His was that newspapers are a dying industry and that he needs a better job. He is back pursuing a biology degree on the way to med school.

Fourth, I own 100 shares of Journal Register, a dead newspaper stock. It died after I bought it. It shows no signs of coming back to life. I continue to hold on to it. It is quite literally worthless, so selling it would be stupid – the only place you can go from the bottom is up.

Fifth, my brain is rusty. Very rusty. I jumped right into calculus. The last math class I had was statistics and that was in the fall of 1999, so 9 years ago. Prior to that, my last semester of high school was devoid of a math class which puts my last high school math class at the beginning of my senior year. That said, I don’t seem to be any further behind than my classmates who have hopefully had more recent mathematical exercises.

Sixth, if it hadn’t been for Don Rogers, I really wouldn’t be prepared for any of this. The stuff I learned in that class has stuck with me.

That’s all for now, I’m sure there will be more later.